


The Fashion Police

by copperbadge



Series: Style Of The Age [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1950s, Costumes, F/M, Fashion & Couture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 16:51:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5171882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copperbadge/pseuds/copperbadge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard has updated the uniform. Bucky and Peggy approve…sort of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Fashion Police

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hachinana87](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hachinana87/gifts).



> I remarked that in this universe they only put on the costumes for the big stuff, but Bucky still makes fun of Steve's uniform; this is inspired by Hachinana's reaction sketch: 
> 
>  
> 
>   
> **  
> [Original art here.](http://hachinana87.tumblr.com/post/130197641675/copperbadge-replied-to-your-post-copperbadge)  
>  **

They wanted to give Steve a few weeks to find his footing in the new decade, once they'd found him in the ice. After all, he'd lost nearly seven years, and was a bit of a man out of time. He needed to brush up on the end of the war and the beginning of the cold war, learn SHIELD protocols, and -- and maybe take some time to have a few dances with Peggy. There was no reason to hurry, not in 1950. The world didn't need Captain America with the same urgency that it had in 1942.

Steve, on the other hand...

He made it a week. Peggy won the bet with Howard that he wouldn't make it two weeks before demanding to be put back in the field. He sped through the history books and newspapers and newsreels they brought him, memorized the SHIELD regs manual, and went through the qualification tests like they were wet tissue paper.

All of which Peggy and Howard heard about later, since Steve went behind their backs to take the quals. It wouldn't have been fair otherwise, he said; everyone would have passed Peggy and Howard's golden boy without even looking. This way, it was all above-board and fair.

"This was going to be a Christmas present," Peggy said, when Steve arrived in her office that morning, fully-qualified and pouting for his SHIELD badge like a toddler. She offered him the slim leather wallet with the heavy silver badge inside, then stood and gestured for him to follow. Steve liked to be seen trailing her around SHIELD, as if it somehow proved his dedication, or perhaps proved he belonged to her.

Bucky fell into step with them in the corridor, silently.

"I thought you were taking the day off," Steve said, as they walked.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Bucky replied with a worrying grin.

"Here we are," Peggy said, leading them through R&D and into Howard's private SHIELD workshop.

"He ready, Peg?" Howard called, emerging with a bundle of red, white, and blue fabric.

"Captain America is officially cleared for active duty," Peggy said. Howard placed the fabric in Steve's hands.

"I've made a few tweaks," he said. "To the uniform."

"Tweaks?" Steve asked. Bucky was grinning from ear to ear.

"More durable, for a start," Howard said. "And I gave it some zing."

"Zing."

"You know. A new look for a new decade. Go ahead, try it on," Howard added, and Steve gave Bucky a long-suffering look, but he ducked into the little shower cubicle nearby to change.

***

It was tight. Very...tight. It gave in all the right places, but it also clung in very specific places, places Steve hadn't had reason to put on display since the Star Spangled Bond Sales Show.

And it was shiny. So very, very shiny.

When Steve stepped out of the cubicle, uniform mostly done up and helmet pulled over his head, Bucky covered his mouth with his silver hand, held up his other hand in a _no, stop_ gesture, and fell over laughing.

"Howard," Steve said, ignoring Bucky's conniptions and the measured twitch of Peggy's lips.

"Too much?" Howard asked, studying it.

Steve held up thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "Little bit."

"I was going for a chrome, atomic-age look," Howard said. "I didn't really -- once it's on an actual moving body, it's -- "

"Blinding," Bucky gasped, clutching his stomach with both arms.

"Well, obviously you could never wear the uniform while spying," Peggy said, her voice carefully even.

"Peggy, I couldn't wear this in active combat in a minefield," Steve said. "It goes against the Geneva Conventions. I mean, don't get me wrong, it feels all right, but I don't mind it only 'cause I don't actually have to look at it."

"Women will faint," Bucky blurted.

"Well, that's more the fit," Peggy remarked. Her eyes raked over Steve in a way that promised some very energetic dancing later. He had to admit it did wonders for his...ego.

"Children will weep," Bucky continued. "Stark, what the hell were you thinking?"

"My patriotism sometimes gets the better of me," Howard said with exaggerated dignity.

"That and some aged scotch," Peggy put in.

"May I please take this off now?" Steve asked. Every time he inhaled, bits of him sparkled.

"First, how's the helmet fit? You used to complain the old one pinched your ears," Howard said.

"Feels all right. Do I really need the face mask, though?" Steve asked. "Everyone knows who I am."

"Well, I'll do a version without it and we'll see how it looks. Oh, that reminds me," Howard said, taking a small packet out of a box on the work table. "Got something for you too, Barnes."

"Me?" Bucky asked, hoisting himself to his feet and taking the little fold of black material carefully. He looked down at it, brow furrowed.

"Nobody knows you're the Winter Soldier yet, and I'd like to keep it that way," Howard said.

"So, what, you gave me a piece of women's underwear?" Bucky asked, fingers stroking the fabric.

"It's not a girdle, nuts for brains," Howard said, rolling his eyes. "It's for your face."

Bucky unfolded it, holding it up. It was a small, almost dainty domino mask in sheer, silky black.

Silence settled heavy and thick over the workshop. Peggy's lips were pressed tightly together. Steve wasn't even sparkling, he was holding so still. Howard beamed encouragingly.

Bucky held it up to his face hesitantly.

Steve broke first; he roared his way into a laugh, glittering and heaving in his uniform as he cracked up at the expression on Bucky's face.

"It's a sidekick mask!" Steve wheezed, as Peggy held a handkerchief up to her face to hide her tears of mirth. "Aw, aren't you the cutest thing. Robin to my Batman!"

"Got some pretty big ideas about yourself, Captain Supernova," Bucky growled. "Robin wasn't ever blinded by Batman's backside."

"I'll fix the...shine problem," Howard promised. "Go on, Steve, get back into civs. The uniforms are really only for the big stuff, anyway."

"How come Peggy doesn't have to get up in a monkey suit?" Steve complained, ducking behind the door.

"I don't need a uniform to impress," Peggy replied. "Besides, when you have to spend twenty minutes putting your face on every morning, then you can complain about indecently draping yourself in the flag."

"There's nothing indecent about my uniform," Steve squawked.

"Buddy, anything that tight on you is indecent," Bucky said. "There oughta be a law."

"Keep it up, Junior, and I'll put you over my knee," Steve threatened.

Peggy, in the voice of someone who has finally given in to temptation, blurted, "Holy sparkling tights, Batman!" in a high falsetto.

Steve thudded his head lightly against the door as he heard Howard finally lose his cool while Bucky sputtered indignantly.

The 1950s, he realized, were gonna be a hell of a decade.


End file.
